Perimeter

images: Warwick Baker

When was the last time I posted about a shop? Like ages ago. But I promised myself that when a good bookshop opened up I would write it up. Borders closure, as regular readers would know, left a hole in my life. I'm 'moving on'. And while Perimeter does not meet all my needs (no fiction) it does have a small but fun selection of art, design and architecture books. I mean small. Reading the covers and blurbs of all of the books in the store took me a mere 20 minutes. I picked out Otto Neurath's From hieroglyphics to Isotype: a visual autobiography written by the Austrian economist and museum director the year before his death in 1946 but only recently published. What a find! Like I needed another reason to wonder what was in the water in Vienna back in the early 20th century. That's why its still worth pounding the pavement: sometimes you don't know what you want until it's in your hands.

Perimeter Books

748 High Street
Thornbury, Melbourne
Victoria, Australia

Wed: noon–6pm
Thurs: noon–6pm
Fri: noon–7pm
Sat: 10am–5pm

The Mourners: Georgia Metaxas + Anna Zagala

image: Georgia Metaxis

While there might not appear to be a direct link between Georgia Metaxas' recent body of work and the multinational book chain Borders let's just say the two have found shared company. Those living under a hot water bottle might have missed the fact that the administrator's have taken charge of the bookstore, closing its Melbourne stores. Metaxas' exhibition of black clad ladies in mourning is currently on at CCP. In short, its a month for mourning.

Some might not be feeling too sad for Borders. But you won't find me in that camp. The Carlton store has been my book store for the past five years. Carlton, for those of you not familiar with the suburb has a long association with educated bohemians and home to Readings, an independent bookstore with thirteen shopfronts across Melbourne that first opened its doors in 1969. Choosing Borders was seen as unpatriotic by many who were pointed about their preference for the more serious, scholarly store across the road. If I lived in a smaller less literary city Readings might even be my book store of choice. But I live in Melbourne.

It's no secret that I harbour hostility towards left-leaning baby boomers in the public eye that trade on a kind of anti establishment ethos while raking in piles of money. That sentiment in and of itself steered me across the road. Though Reading's partnership with cartoonist Michael Leunig that purveyor of soft, passive aggressive humanism only reinforced my impression we are not the same tribe.

Did I admire Borders? Not really. I took advantage of its 3 books for the price of 2 deals, its endless racks of magazines, and its roomy ambience. It's hard to believe the giant has fallen though. I might even get the black out of the cupboard for a week or so. It's not exactly the commitment displayed by the women in Metaxas' photographs but I'm keeping my grief response proportional.

Georgia Metaxas

The Mourners

CCP, 404 George Street.

Fitzroy 3065

Until 7 July 2011